We, too are going through the budget crunch everyone else is. Our oldest is in her last year of high school and I am panicking about how to be able to squeeze in money to send to her for an occasional treat. After doing some serious studying of my checkbook entries and found I was spending on average of $600 a month for food (I don't shop for household/personal products at grocery store) I couldn't believe it. There are only four of us! I have been working out a system that I know every person has heard of and done. I am forcing myself to sit down with the local newspaper and look through the ad to see what is on sale and what we REALLY need. I am able to cut coupons at my job as we get several papers in daily to read so I clip when I see one. We don't belong to a Sam's or Costco, so I usually get my beef and pork at the butcher store. It may be a little more expensive, but with the higher quality I don't use as much, plus he has some great deals and then we stock up. I had a small veggie garden this year. It may sound like work, but if you put in a couple tomato plants, a couple zucchini, onions and peppers, it isn't much work. You only need a small piece of dirt. I also cook up ground beef and put in containers for the freezer. My mom always made a great round steak in the oven and when I was looking for recipes she told me to try that-have you seen the price of round steak lately? Oh my gosh! But I make it in the crock with whatever flat steak is on sale-I was given all sorts of praise from my MIL this week. Another good investment is a vacuum sealer-I just bought chicken for half price on a great sale at the store, divided it into portions and sealed it up. I spent $30 on chicken and have enough to make 10 meals. I think as a society we are also eating very large portions-I've totally scaled down what I think a serving of roast or chicken is-can't hurt our waistlines either Hope this helps. We are all in the same boat-and I don't think my paddles are big enough to keep up!

Good Idea

Thanks

SIMPLE FRITO PIE:

1 Large bag of small sized Fritos (corn chips), 1 large can of Wolf brand chili w/beans (or without if you prefer), 1 small block of cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup of water

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Open can of chili and heat over stove gradually adding 1/2 cup

SIMPLE FRITO PIE:

1 Large bag of small sized Fritos (corn chips), 1 large can of Wolf brand chili w/beans (or without if you prefer), 1 small block of cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup of water

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Open can of chili and heat over stove gradually adding 1/2

SIMPLE FRITO PIE:

SIMPLE FRITO PIE (CONTINUED)

1 large bag of Fritos (corn chips), 1/2 a cup of water, 1 small block of cheddar cheese, 1 large can of Wolf Brand Chili (with/out beans).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Open can of chili and heat over stove (using a large pot), gradually add water, after heating, open bag of Fritos and pour in pot w/first two ingredients.

On a baking dish (your call on size) add contents from stove and spread evenly. Shred cheese and sprinkle over mixture. Place on baking sheet and bake until cheese has melted. Serve with corn bread and/or wheat bread and a side salad. Meal is less than $10.00 (give or take), has your daily allowance of veggies, breads, protein (chili w/BEANS), and calcium.  You'll have room and an "excuse" for dessert ;-) Enjoy!

I tend to buy generic ammonia, dilute it in old 409 bottles, and that's what I use to clean the toilets, floors, etc. (I have a 2 year old who doesn't "shoot" straight when he pees in the toilet, LOL!).

I buy generic fabric softner sheets and I cut them down the middle! I don't buy Ziploc freezer bags because I buy the "generic" kind at my supermarket (HEB). Also, I buy alot of Hamburger Helper and instead of using a pound, I use 1/2 a pound and compensate the "protein" by serving beans (refried, pinto, pork & beans, etc). We have a soft water system, so I don't use Tide, Cheers, etc; I buy the "generic" brand: Purex, Dynamo, Fab, etc; I don't have to use much anyway (soft water system compensates for that). I wash all my clothes in "cold" water and that saves on my electric bill.

I don't buy hot dog/hamburger buns (they are $1.49!!!) so I use regular wheat bread when I make hot dogs/hamburgers. I buy thin cut pork chops, take a list w/me to HEB, my coupons, and make sure I already ate something so I don't go out hungry. I cross out all my items and I tend to save $22.00 with a bill of $107 at check out.

There are internet coupons out there: www.couponmom.com

We all have to help one another with tips. I also have a website here in San Antonio for "gas prices". I don't throw food away, eat left overs, don't buy from Pizza Hut; as Wal-mart has pizzas for $6.00-$7.00, and I've found pork & beans at the latter for .44 and I bought 20 cans! Yeah, you're suppose to go to the grocery store bi-week (sorry, we get paid bi-weekly), but it's okay to go to Wal-mar for other "specials" like the Banquet tv dinners (my lunch) at .88 a box. I don't buy a gallon of milk anymore so I compensate with 1/2 a gallon and it lasts 2 weeks (give or take if my husband drinks it all). I don't and never had been a Costo member....I think it's too expensive and I don't need 20 boxes toilet paper, KWIM? I have switched to energy saver light bulbs and found them on sale at Lowes. Our HEB has buy one item and you get five to six items free...that's for me!

I make Frito pie for dinner.

I'm Hispanic so I make my own breakfast tacos, I make crispy/soft tacos, chalupas (or what you call tostadas; Taco Bell), I make Spanish rice, etc. I don't make home-made tortillas (I buy them already made) since they are hard to make, time consuming, and you have to be careful to make since they are rolled out flat (in a perfect circle); so I haven't had the hang of it. I can make pinto beans, but again, they are time consuming, I work full time, have a 2 year old going on 21; so I buy canned refried beans. I don't bake since it's expensive to buy: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, sugar, baking powder, peanut oil, brown sugar, etc., etc, etc! I found a box of Fiber One muffin mix at $2.99...all I had to add was water, eggs, and veggie oil -- much LESS than all the above ingredients I need to make homemade muffins! Oh, and I had a coupon for the Fiber One box. I made them this past Sunday and I added a package of chopped pecans and left over regualr Quaker Oaks to the boxed ingredients....they turned out d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s!!!!

I look at ads on Sundays from Target, Wal-mart, Walgreens, CVS, Big Lots, and Dollar General. I find cheaper items and our Walgreens is across the street from Dollar General. Target seems to be a little expensive, and I have found junior size (11) jeans at Wal-mart for $5.00!! Even the cashier said, "I'm going to buy me a pair during my break!" Sometimes you get lucky, you just have to find the time to shop; esp with coupons! All my work/casual clothes are bought at "sales" and/or "clearances"...even Wal-mart:  www.walmart.com (type on the box CLEARANCE) and you'll find clothes, household items, garden items, shoes, etc., for your family! I'm going to start buying Christmas items as gifts for my family at "sale/clearance" prices and they'll NEVER know the difference! Just don't pay to have the items shipped to your home address, instead, pick them up at the Walmart of your choice for FREE!!

Hi granna2,  I just happened to catch the last line in your post on this thread and saw that you use left over mashed potatoes for potato soup.   Yuuuummmmmm!  Could you please post the recipe?  I can't remember the last time I had potato soup. And love potato soup!  What a great dish to serve during the winter!  Thanks  much!  Hope your weekend was great!

chicagosinger

                                                       Hi retromom-

                                                                 Cooking sure isn't cheap I know.This sight has so many good cheap recipes.Easy ravoli bake is easy and cheap.My wife and I eat so much hamburger and chicken its sad.But this page helps alot.

Hi, I'm new to this site but, I thought  I would comment on cooking on a budget... I like to take any kind of meat and use it for enchilladas... leftover chicken, ground meat or pork all work well with this easy to make/freeze dish... You can customize the seasonings for your family... I make acouple and freeze one for later. 

You can use any boxed rice mix you like I like to use a spanish style or spicy seasoned rice as a base.. If you want to stretch the flavored rice further you can add a cup of regular cooked white rice to make extra servings.  Or even leftover chinese food leftover white rice...! 

1 lb. of cooked chicken, ground beef or pork.... cubed or shredded  drained of excess fat or grease

1 diced onion and green pepper *you can also add corn

1 jar of salsa or enchillada sauce

1 lb. of shredded cheese

1-2 pkg. of burrito sized tortillas.

13x9 cassarole dish or baking pan...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

cook rice according to directions... In a skillet brown meat if uncooked and add onion, green pepper.... Add meat/vegatables to rice mixture and roll 1/3 cup into tortilla.. Place seam side DOWN...

top with salsa or enchillada sauce and bake 30 minutes add cheese last 10 minutes and bake until cheese is melted...

Serve with refried beans...

I also lke to make 2 different meals while I have the oven going.. To save on GAS.  So, I'll make baked mac n cheese AND a tuna noodle cassarole... Both take little time to prepare but, cook together and BOTH freeze well... Ditto for lasagna or baked ziti....

I make stuffed cabbage in the crockpot..

Good luck everyone and thanks for the ideas...

my grandma used to take hamburger and cook it add some cooked noodles like egg noodles and some onion soup mix and a little sour cream its a poor man stroganoff, its very good and can be made cheap and healthy with ground turkey, whole wheat pasta and ff sourcream.

My favorite money saver is also so simple it makes you feel guilty!

Mix 1 lb of burger (drain off fat) with one can of Cream of Mushroom Soup (easy to double for family size)

Serve this over wide flat noodles.

Delicious with no further seasoning.

When my kids were little I used to brown hamberger in a skillit (you can add a little onion if you like or onion salt) and a little salt and pepper.

Layer a casserole with thin sliced potatoes, onions if you like we do, and the hamburger. Add katsup after the hamburger. It makes about two layers ending in hamburger and katsup. Bake it at 350 degrees until done about an hour to get the potatoes done. If you like cheese add a little before taking out and let me melt on top. This is simple but really good.

My mom was a single parent raising 6 girls totally on her own. She had no support from my dad and had to figure out how to feed all of us kids on a limited income. One thing that she always made was called Poor Man's Stew. I made it for my kids and they absolutely LOVE it.

It consists of potatoes, hamburger, pork and beans, tomato sauce and your choice of seasonings. First, you clean your potatoes, cut them in to bite size pieces and boil til tender. Drain potatoes. Add your hamburger, spices (I usually just put in some garlic, salt and pepper) and brown. Drain off excess grease. Add potatoes back to the pan along with the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Return to heat until everything is warmed back up again. I serve it with slices of bread.

I hope this helps

Thank You for sharing=)It is so true what you are saying on cutting your budget, it definitely cuts out the junk food for sure=)

My husband and I we're just planning on a better diet to lose some weight and get healthier, when we find out there is no money to buy all the foods we need to do that=) so we are imprevising(sp) with what we already have in the house=)

Like using the beans that we never cooked before(to lazy),or the oatmeal we never cooked either, because it was easier and faster to just have a bowl of cereal! oatmeal is good and its healthier =) beans are good too!!

So now we are feeling better and losing weight, because there is no junk food in the house!!!!!!=)

A happier bunch!=)

thank you and i need to make some kind of chicken dish but it is the end of the month and i have nothing really to help with what i usually make and it is hard tring to feed 6 people when u have no clue what to do with it......lol but i guess that i will keep trying and thanks for ur help again

Have you ever tried German Pizza.

2 tablespoons butter, 1 onion - sliced, 1/2 cup water, 1 can of spam, 4 medium potatoes, 3 eggs, diced bell pepper (optional) and grated cheddar cheese.  Melt butter in an electric skillet.  layer: sliced potatoes, diced bell pepper, sliced or chopped onions.  Julienne strips of spam.  salt and pepper.  Add 1/2 cup water and cook in electric skillet at 200 degrees for 30 minutes.

Beat 3 eggs and pour over mixture.  Top with cheese, cover, and cook another 10 minutes.

OR

Hamburger stew.

1 or more pounds of hamburger.  1 onion, chopped, 1 teaspoon chile powder, 1 can tomato soup.  Brown hamburger and onion.  Add 1 teaspoon chile powder.  Cut up potatoes and carrots.  Add 1 can tomato soup and enough water to cover potatoes.  (I usually add carrots first and let them cook longer).

Both are simple, tasty and easy.

Hey and don't forget the all time favorites

Shepherds pie

13x9 pan in layers

bottom layer ground beef browned in pan with favorite seasonings like garlic or just seasoning salt onion, etc

middle layers

any kind of vegetable really; like our family favorite is green beens

next layer

cream of mushroom soup

top layer mashed potatoes

then bake 375 until a little browning and bubbling takes place just make sure hot through.

SECOND RECIPE

Not sure what to call this one let's call it

Creamy Mushroom Chicken

(probably already has a name I just dont know it)

season and then brown chicken thighes in a pan

in a 13x9 pan cover the bottom with any of the cream of soups or combo thereof

put the chicken in and cover with another layer of the same soup combo

bake in 375 for about 40-45 min when done serve over rice

some additional notes: when doing the layering I often add other seasonings and herbs before baking this along with the various/variety of cream of soups will often completely change this dish.  Another addition to this is that I use in some of the variations I sprinkle on parmesan cheese and other various cheeses after coming out of the oven.

Love reading everyone's comments 

Sincerely, Cate

I have a dish that I make that I learned from my aunt.  My aunt called it "hash" and it's made out of 1 lb. hamburger, 1 small onion, and 3 medium potatoes.  Dice the onion and cook it in about 2 tsp. of vegetable oil, then add the potatoes ( diced in small pieces), sitrring it all together.  While that's cooking brown the hamburger stirring to make sure it is in small pieces.  Then drain the hamburger and add it to the potatoes and onion mixture and continue cooking for about 10 minutes, just to combine the flavors.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  I hope you enjoy this dish, it is one of my favorites.